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Two Are Better Than One

Brian Stokes has now induced 7 ground-ball double plays in 26 2/3 innings.

Who knew?

This totally belies his previous statistical profile.

Brian Stokes
Entering Season

119 2/3 innings pitched
11 GIDP induced
18 HR allowed

Stokes' strikeout rate is down, but when you're getting outs at a 2-for-1 rate that frequently, that's acceptable. Granted, Monday's was only the second situation in which he got a ground-ball double play with the score tied, or the Mets ahead, but his numbers are still impressive. I don't pretend to have any explanation for this. I'll leave it to other experts.

It did get me to wonder a little bit about the Mets history with the GIDP. With that, here's what I learned.

* Mike Pelfrey set the Mets single-season record for GIDP induced last season with 29, edging out Walt Terrell's mark of 28, set in 1984.

Most GIDP Induced
Single-Season (Mets history)

29- Mike Pelfrey (2008)
28- Walt Terrell (1984)
27- Al Jackson (1962)
26- Mike Hampton (2000)
26- Roger Craig (1962)

* Your all-time Mets leader in GIDP induced: Jerry Koosman.

Most GIDP Induced
Mets History

203- Jerry Koosman
198- Tom Seaver
143- Dwight Gooden
119- Al Leiter
115- Jon Matlack
109- Ron Darling

* The most efficient Mets pitcher for inducing double plays is also one of its most disliked. In 1984, pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, Doug Sisk induced 18 GIDP in 77 2/3 innings pitched. That was Sisk's best season as a Met, one in which he had 15 saves and a 2.09 ERA.

* In 1966, the Mets employed a pitcher named Bill Hepler who was rather Siskian in his approach. Hepler averaged 19 strikeouts per game in American Legion baseball, but that skill set did not transfer to the majors.

Hepler walked batters, and walked a lot of them, which might explain why he only lasted one major league season. For every batter Hepler struck out, he walked two. However, his mastery of the double-play ball kept his statistics respectable. In 69 innings, Hepler induced 15 ground-ball double plays, and a line drive double play.

* Your Mets record for most GIDP gotten in a game: 5, by Armando Reynoso (1997 vs Marlins) and Roger Craig (1962 at Giants).

Steve Mura (1982 Cardinals), Carl Morton (1973 Braves), and Warren Spahn (1964 Braves) each got the Mets to ground into 5 double plays in one game. Morton's game was one the Mets rallied to win, 8-7, by scoring 7 runs in the top of the 9th.

* The Mets have induced 5 GIDP in a game on three occasions: 1997 against the Marlins, 1973 against the Dodgers (19 innings), and 1962 against the Giants.

They hit into as many as six, though it took 12 innings to do so against the Giants on August 21, 2004.

* The Mets have not induced a walk-off GIDP all season, though they did have a strikeout/throw-out double play in the 1-0 win over the Brewers. The Mets induced five game-ending GIDP last season, all on the road. The last time they induced a game-ending GIDP at home was August 25, 2007 (Luis Gonzalez vs Aaron Heilman).

* Looking at things the other way:

Most GIDP Hit
Single-Season (Mets History)
27- Mike Piazza (1999)
26- Mike Piazza (2002)
26- Cleon Jones (1970)
24- Eddie Murray (1993)
24- Steve Henderson (1978)

Most GIDP Hit
Mets Career

138- Ed Kranepool
132- Mike Piazza
121- Jerry Grote
107- Cleon Jones

Two Mets Fans are Better Than One Who Knows...Joe Torre is famous for having grounded into four double plays in one game as a Met. The only batter to ground into at least 3 against the Mets in a game was Johnny Estrada, who hit into 3 ground-ball double plays against them while with the Phillies in 2001.

Comments

Binny said…
As talented a player as Jerry Grote was, I fear that must be a typo, as I can't imagine him inducing 5 double-plays in a game!

Also, while Gonzo's DP was the last GIDP to end a game, in the spirit of walk-offs, I wonder if a game two weeks earlier, the August 8th game against Atlanta, was the last game-ending GIDP in a Mets walk-up win.
metswalkoffs said…
Fixed to Roger Craig.

And yes.

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